Next-Gen Apple TV Will Not Support 4K Video Streaming: Report

John Paczkowski, former journalist from the WSJ’s AllThingsD, and now managing editor for BuzzFeed, has another scoop on the next-gen Apple TV, which sources claim will “not initially support” 4K video:

Sources in position to know tell BuzzFeed News that the 4th generation Apple TV will not initially support 4K video — a newer high-definition video resolution that delivers a more detailed, immersive picture. “4K is great, but it’s still in its infancy,” said one source familiar with Apple’s thinking.

Again, if there isn’t enough support for 4K video content, what use will it have on an Apple TV? Frost & Sullivan principal analyst Dan Rayburn told BuzzFeed “The additional cost to shoot, store, encode and deliver video in 4K, when compared to HD, is huge,” while following up with “4K is many, many years away from being adopted at critical mass.”

Hmmm… that’s just like the iPhone that didn’t need a bigger screen, either!

Brent McKee

Bring back Radio (aka TV without the pictures).

YeahRight

I miss the town crier.

Anon

So pointless that Apple produced a 5K Mac.

kentfromohio

Fortunately we have Samsung and Google, proving that two big companies are willing to adopt the Democrat agenda of “no profits” to produce Soviet style mobile phones that nobody wants and that like the gay community spread viruses and disease every time they interact.

FragilityG4

5K is even more pointless than 4K.

FragilityG4

Exactly.

Guest

Science says the human eye can not see the difference in detail between 720 and 1080 from the optimal viewing distance of ten feet back from the TV. So unless you’re using your TV as a phone, why would you need 4K?

Rio

I would love 4K!

I play video games while standing 2-4 ft away from my TV, so would definitely notice a difference. 😛

dannymalt

But there is a noticeable difference between 720p and 1080p.

Ron

Science says the same with 480P (DVD quality) from the same distance. You can also do without 1080 or 720P.

Ron

Anything above 480P is pointless. 720P is overkill.

Anon

According to “science” 720P and 4K is the same to the human eye. LOL

Rio

That is bullocks!

720p and 4k might be the same to the human eye on a <10/20in screen.

But when you have a 60in TV and are sitting 2-6ft in front of your TV, there is a HUGE difference and Science will back me up on that.

As your screen size gets bigger, the ppi drops…

Anon

Science says nobody is allowed to sit closer than 10ft away from their TV. Because if you do sit closer than 10ft, you may actually see a difference, which will prove science wrong. Science does not like to be wrong.

Anon

How dare you accuse the almighty Apple of producing a pointless product!

cody

The viewing point of a mac would be 2-3 feet so you’re going to see that resolution difference. Also with someone who is a professional photographer I bet they would like to see that level of detail when viewing or editing their photos. I’d imagine the same would go for someone working with film.

This makes sense to me. The amount of people that would actually be able to use 4K doesn’t make sense for the extra cost/processing power it would require. Eventually they’ll probably come out with a 4K version (like they did with a 1080p version) mostly because they’ll need to provide a solution for all of the marketing telling people they need 4K.

Sure, it looks great in the store, where people are standing three feet away and comparing it side-by-side with 1080p, but once you get it in your home and are sitting a normal distance away and are caught up in the experience of watching a movie, you’re likely not going to notice any difference.

FragilityG4

If you’re two feet from the screen.

FragilityG4

If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck it probably is a duck.

FragilityG4

Perhaps but as far as viewing content as regular user it’s overkill.

Joe Peplowski

this is the worst comment i have ever read

FragilityG4

What are you talking about? Science doesn’t say you can’t notice the difference between 480 and 720.

Ron

Yes it does. Same reason you can’t tell the difference between 720 and 1080.